Michigan bowler perseveres, reaches 50 years of participation at USBC Open
May 21, 2021
By Hope Parsons
USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS - Jerry Austin graciously received recognition Thursday at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships for 50 years of tournament participation.
The 78-year-old left-hander from Sparta, Michigan, has been dealing with COPD-related health issues but managed to make his way to the lanes at the South Point Bowling Plaza, where he received a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the milestone.
"My legs were a little shaky today, but I wanted to make it here for the 50 years," said Austin, who made his USBC Open Championships debut at the 1969 event in Madison, Wisconsin. "This achievement is special to me, and I couldn't wait to get it."
A lifelong bowler, Austin has a long list of accomplishments that helped earn him induction into the Greater Grand Rapids USBC Hall of Fame. He is a past Team USA state champion in Michigan (1989 and 1991) and a winner of the West Michigan Masters.
During his five decades at the Open Championships, Austin has posted some high scores and made some great memories, including a 770 series and 12th-place singles finish in Toledo, Ohio, in 1991.
But, some of his top moments have come in recent years, while sharing the lanes with his family.
In 2018, he bowled with his two sons and two grandsons, and they left Syracuse with the lead in Standard Team. They held on for more than a month, before settling for a second-place finish.
A year later, with some minor personnel changes, Austin secured himself another runner-up team finish and commemorative watch. The presentation of those watches gave his family members a chance to share in his special night Thursday in Las Vegas.
In 2018, the team members were 108 pins short of seeing their names on a championship banner, and that was just six pins in 2019.
Austin's 2021 Open Championships included more quality time with his family, as he was joined during the team event by his two sons and two grandsons Thursday and got to bowl doubles Friday with his daughter, Sheryl Bagley.
The team portion of the tournament went well, as the group finished with a 2,703 total, but the streak of receiving watches in the Squad Room will come to an end, as they're 66th in the Standard Team standings. Tug N Tap 2 of Lorain, Ohio, leads with 2,957.
The Standard Division is for teams with combined entering averages of 776-875.
When asked about bowling with his daughter for the first time he commented, "I just hope we have fun."
At the Open Championships, Austin has high sets of 683 in team from 1976, 671 in doubles from 1981 and the 770 from 1991.
This year on the tournament lanes in Las Vegas, he rolled sets of 454 in team, 427 in doubles and 382 in singles for a 1,263 all-events total, increasing his career pinfall at the event to 80,290 for a career average of 182.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.
USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS - Jerry Austin graciously received recognition Thursday at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships for 50 years of tournament participation.
The 78-year-old left-hander from Sparta, Michigan, has been dealing with COPD-related health issues but managed to make his way to the lanes at the South Point Bowling Plaza, where he received a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the milestone.
"My legs were a little shaky today, but I wanted to make it here for the 50 years," said Austin, who made his USBC Open Championships debut at the 1969 event in Madison, Wisconsin. "This achievement is special to me, and I couldn't wait to get it."
A lifelong bowler, Austin has a long list of accomplishments that helped earn him induction into the Greater Grand Rapids USBC Hall of Fame. He is a past Team USA state champion in Michigan (1989 and 1991) and a winner of the West Michigan Masters.
During his five decades at the Open Championships, Austin has posted some high scores and made some great memories, including a 770 series and 12th-place singles finish in Toledo, Ohio, in 1991.
But, some of his top moments have come in recent years, while sharing the lanes with his family.
In 2018, he bowled with his two sons and two grandsons, and they left Syracuse with the lead in Standard Team. They held on for more than a month, before settling for a second-place finish.
A year later, with some minor personnel changes, Austin secured himself another runner-up team finish and commemorative watch. The presentation of those watches gave his family members a chance to share in his special night Thursday in Las Vegas.
In 2018, the team members were 108 pins short of seeing their names on a championship banner, and that was just six pins in 2019.
Austin's 2021 Open Championships included more quality time with his family, as he was joined during the team event by his two sons and two grandsons Thursday and got to bowl doubles Friday with his daughter, Sheryl Bagley.
The team portion of the tournament went well, as the group finished with a 2,703 total, but the streak of receiving watches in the Squad Room will come to an end, as they're 66th in the Standard Team standings. Tug N Tap 2 of Lorain, Ohio, leads with 2,957.
The Standard Division is for teams with combined entering averages of 776-875.
When asked about bowling with his daughter for the first time he commented, "I just hope we have fun."
At the Open Championships, Austin has high sets of 683 in team from 1976, 671 in doubles from 1981 and the 770 from 1991.
This year on the tournament lanes in Las Vegas, he rolled sets of 454 in team, 427 in doubles and 382 in singles for a 1,263 all-events total, increasing his career pinfall at the event to 80,290 for a career average of 182.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.